This One Mindless Habit May Be Killing Your Sleep

This One Mindless Habit May Be Killing Your Sleep

Scrolling through social media may seem like a mindless activity–after all, how much brain activity does it really take to like a selfie? However, a recent study conducted by Oxford University Press suggests that this mindless activity is far from restful, and might actually disturb your sleep–especially if you’re guilty of flipping through your phone in the 30-minute window before going to bed.

Social media has already built up a negative rep when it comes to sleep. A previous study showed that participants who used social media for more than one hour each day were more likely to experience disturbed sleep than those with more limited use–not great news for those of us always looking out for the latest and greatest social platforms. This recent study found that regardless of how much participants checked social media during the day, those who most often checked before bed were 50 percent more likely to have disturbed sleep.

It’s important to note that both studies found correlation, not causation, so it’s unclear if people who check social media before bed suffer poor sleep because of it, or if people who sleep poorly tend to check social media more often. However, combined with studies that suggest the blue light emitted from smartphones, laptops, and tablets delays the release of sleep hormone melatonin–it doesn’t seem like the wisest idea to scope what your favorite influencer is up to from bed.